Method and apparatus for operating a dart game and teaching biblical lessons

ABSTRACT

The dart game includes a target area including a plurality of scoring areas and at least one transducer associated with each scoring area. The dart game also includes an electronic circuit including the transducer, a controller, memory and a speaker. Messages are stored in the memory. When a player throws a dart into the target area, the transducer is activated and a signal is sent to the controller. The controller in turn retrieves a message from the memory and use the speakers to play the message.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention is generally directed to a game of darts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The game of darts is well known. The game is played by throwing a dart at a target. Different areas of the target provide different scoring opportunities. When a player hits the target, points are scored in accordance with the portion of the target hit. Ordinarily, the objective of the game is to score the highest number of points. The game of darts challenges a player's throwing abilities and fosters competitiveness.

Many people also believe that studying religious and biblical information provides a means for maintaining one's religious faith, enlightens those without faith, inspires the downtrodden to have hope, and encourages the ill, the poor, and the stricken.

There are, however, no traditional games that meets these purposes simultaneously. There is, accordingly, a need for a game to allow people to have a recreational opportunity to challenge their throwing abilities and to provide a study of religious and biblical teachings. The present invention meets this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a general object of the present invention to have a game that combines recreation with religious study.

Another object of the present invention is to combine recreation with messages of faith, hope, and encouragement.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a teaching of biblical or religious knowledge.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a challenge of a player's throwing abilities.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a game which fosters competition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the game of the present invention with the doors in an open position;

FIG. 1 a is a front elevational view of the game of FIG. 1 with the doors in a partially open position;

FIG. 1 b is a front elevational view of the game of FIG. 1 with the doors in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the play area of the game shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the target area of the game of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a sample dart for use with the preferred embodiment of the game of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, a specific embodiment with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein.

As shown in FIGS. 1 a-1 c, the dart game 100 generally includes a play area 102 and left and right doors 104, 106 hingedly mounted to the play area 102. The doors 104, 106 rotate to a closed position as shown in FIG. 1 b to form a shield. The doors are shown in a partially closed position in FIG. 1 a. The play area 102 is enclosed by the doors 104, 106 when the doors are placed in the closed position as shown in FIG. 1 b. Handles 105 are placed on the outer surface of the doors 104, 106. When the doors 104, 106 are rotated to the open position, as shown in FIG. 1, the play area 102 of the game 100 is revealed. Mounting brackets 108 are provided on the inner surfaces of the doors 104, 106 to receive darts 110 to be used to play the game 100. Preferably the mounting brackets 108 allow the darts to be snap fit therein.

The play area 102 of the game 100 includes a target area 112, a score board 114 including displays 115, and speakers 116. As best shown in FIG. 2, the target area 112 is mounted to a backing 118 which is generally shaped in the form of a shield. The target area 112 is circularly-shaped and includes a centrally-positioned circularly shaped bull's eye 120. The target area is divided into twenty (20) wedge-shaped sections 122. A series of concentric circles divide each the wedge-shaped sections 122 into six (6) scoring areas 124 a-124 f. A point value is assigned to each scoring area 124 a-124 f and to the bull's eye 120. The target area 112 is preferably formed from a soft material, such as cork, a bristle material, or a metallic material as is well known in the art.

As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of transducers 126 are mounted under the target area 112. The transducer 126 can be, for example, a pressure transducer, although it is envisioned that other types of transducer could be used. Preferably, at least one transducer 126 is mounted under each scoring area 124 a-124 f of each wedge shaped section 122 and under the bull's eye 120. Thus, transducer 126 a is associated with scoring area 124 a, transducer 126 b is associated with scoring area 124 b, transducer 126 c is associated with scoring area 124 c, transducer 126 d is associated with scoring area 124 d, transducer 126 e is associated with scoring area 124 e, transducer 126 f is associated with scoring area 124 f, and transducer 126 g is associated with the bull's eye 120.

The game 100 includes an electrical circuit 127 shown in block diagram in FIG. 4. The circuit 128 includes the transducers 126, a controller 128, a memory 130, a speech synthesizer 132, the speakers 116, and the displays 115.

As noted above, the transducers 126 are mounted underneath the target area 112 and are activated when the dart enters the scoring area. In the case of a pressure transducer, the transducer is activated when the tip of the dart applies pressure to the surface of the transducer. Other transducer may be activated upon contact between the dart and the transducer.

The controller 128 is preferably a microprocessor. The controller 128 is operatively connected to each transducers 126, the memory 130, the speech synthesizer 132 and the displays 115. The controller 128 is configured to receive a signal from each transducer 126. The controller 128 is also in communication with memory 130 and is configured to send a signal to the memory 130 to retrieve a message stored in the memory 130 in response to the signal received by the transducer 126. The controller 128 is also configured to send a signal to the display 115 in response to the signal received by the transducer 126.

The memory 130 is operatively connected to the controller 128, the speech synthesizer 132, and the speakers 116. A plurality of messages 134 are stored in the memory 130. The messages 134 are preferably messages of faith, hope, and encouragement, are preferably derived from or direct quotations of religious texts, and are preferably biblical. Alternatively, secular messages 134 of faith, hope, and encouragement can be used. Each of the messages provided in the memory 130 are associated with a particular scoring area 124 or bull's eye 120 of the target area 112. The messages 134 can be stored in memory 130 in various ways well known in the art. For example, messages 134 can be text, stored in any type of memory, including but not limited to magnetic, optic, and solid-state memory, and can be stored in digital or analog format.

The speech synthesizer 132 is operatively connected to the controller 128, the memory 130, and to the speakers 116. The speech synthesizer 132 receives the message retrieved from the memory 130 and converts the message to an audible signal and transmits the audible signal to the speakers 116. Alternatively, the messages 134 are stored in memory 136 as sound files, preferably .wav files, and played directly by speakers 142 a and 142 b.

The display 115 is preferably an LCD-type display. The display 115 is operatively connected to the controller 128. Signals received by the controller 128 provide a point total displayed by the displays 115 to provide a tally of the points attributed to each player. As signals are provided to the controller 128 from the transducers 126, the point totals are updated by the controller and displayed on the display 115 which is positioned in the scoreboard area 114 of the play area 102.

A typical dart 136 used in connection with the game 100 is shown in FIG. 5. The darts 136 are of the type commonly used in dart games. As shown in FIG. 5, the darts 136 include slender pointed spears 138, having a tip 140, and a plurality of flights 142 to control the flight of the darts 136 The darts 136 can be steel-tipped, such as for use with a cork-based target area 112, plastic-tipped, such as for use with a bristle target area 112, or magnetic, such as for use with a metallic target area 112. Other combinations of materials of the darts 136 and the target area 112 may be used without detracting from the present invention.

Play of the game 100 is as follows. The object of the game is to score the highest number of points. The player scoring the highest number of points will go to heaven, in the fictional sense of course. A player throws a dart 136 toward the target area 112. If the player hits the target area 112 with the dart 136, the tip 140 of the dart 136 will penetrate one of the scoring areas 124 a-124 f or the bull's eye 120 of the target area 112. When the tip 140 of the dart 136 penetrates the target area 112, the transducer 126 associated with the scoring area 124 hit by the player is activated. Upon activation of the transducer 126, a signal will be provided by the transducer 126 to the controller 128. The controller 128 will in turn send a signal to the memory 132 to retrieve and play a message 134. The message 134 played will correspond to the particular scoring area 124 hit by the player. The retrieved message 134 is then sent to the speech synthesizer 132 where the message 134 is converted to speech and in turn played by the speakers 116. The messages 134 can be recorded with different voices, or speech synthesizer 132 can be programmed to synthesize speech to play different voices. Voices can be chosen to imitate various religious figures, depending on the message 134 being played. Additionally, messages 134 can be programmed to play appropriate background music, chosen in accordance with the message 134 being played. The messages therefore provide teaching of biblical scriptures or messages of faith of encouragement.

In addition to playing the messages 34, the point total or score 150 for each player will be displayed on the display 115 in the score board portion 114 of the play area 102. The score 150 will be updated to account for the additional points associated with the scoring area 124 hit by the player. The controller 130 keeps score of the game in the traditional way. Controller 130 can be programmed to keep score in any of the variations of the game of darts, such as “501” or “1001”. As illustrated, the game provides for two players. Alternate embodiments can provide for single player or for higher numbers of players.

Other embodiments of the game are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the target area 112, instead of being configured in concentric circles as in the game of darts, can be in the shape of a shield, a chalice, a halo, or other figure. Different areas of the shield, chalice, halo, or other figure can be configured for different scoring options.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention. 

1. A dart game comprising: a target area divided into a plurality of scoring areas; an electrical circuit including at least one transducer associated with each scoring area, a controller, a memory having a plurality of messages stored therein, and at least one speaker; wherein said controller is operatively associated with said at least one transducer and said memory is operatively associated with said at least one speaker; wherein said transducers are activated when a dart enters the scoring area; and wherein upon activation of said transducer, a signal is provided to said controller and to said memory to retrieve one of said plurality of messages stored therein and to provide said message to said speaker.
 2. A dart game as described in claim 1, wherein said messages stored in said memory relate to biblical teachings.
 3. A dart game as described in claim 1, wherein each of said messages is associated with one of said plurality of scoring areas.
 4. A dart game as described in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of transducers is a pressure transducer.
 5. A dart game as described in claim 1, wherein said electrical circuit further includes a speech synthesizer operatively connected to said memory and to said speakers and wherein said retrieved message is provided to said speech synthesizer for conversion to speech and played by said speakers.
 6. A dart game as described in claim 1, wherein said target area is divided into wedge shaped areas.
 7. A dart game as described in claim 1, wherein said memory is operatively connected to said speakers and wherein said messages are sent directly to said speakers from said memory.
 8. A method of playing a dart game comprising the steps of: providing a target area divided into a plurality of scoring areas; providing an electrical circuit including at least one transducer associated with a scoring area of said target area, a controller operatively associated with said transducer, a memory operatively associated with said controller and including a plurality of messages stored therein, and speakers operatively associated with said memory; causing a player to throw a dart into a scoring area of said target area so as to activate said transducer and to cause a signal to be provided to said controller; causing said controller to send a message to said memory to retrieve a message; retrieving a message from said memory; and causing said speakers to play said message.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said plurality of messages include biblically-based messages.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of providing an electrical circuit includes providing a display and wherein when said signal is sent to said controller from said transducer, a signal is sent to said display to provide a total of the points scored by the player. 